Brake-beam for railway-cars



(1110 Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

' P. HIBN.

BRAKE BEAM POR RAILWAY CARS. No. 361,009. A Patexllted Apr. 12, 1887.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. HIEN.

BRAKE BEAM FOR RALWAY GARS.

No. 361,009. Patented Apr. 12, 1887.

WMM/www 31411 m/Ltoc Mm am @am m UNITED STAT Es PATENT OFFICE.

PHILLIP HIEN, OF ROOK ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF'ONE-HALF TO HARRY C.

- BUHOUP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRAKE-BEAM FOR SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,009, dated April l2, 1887.

Application filed October 22, 1886. Serial No. 216,952. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may ooncerm.

Be it known that I, PHILLIP HIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of4 Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake-Beams for Railway- Cars; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a plan view of a brake-beam embodying myinvention, showing so much of the car-wheels, brake-shoes, &c., as is necessary for the purposes of illustrating the application of my devices. Fig. 2 is a section on the 'line s s, Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is asection on the line x rv, Fig. 1, showing the strut or post and brake-lever. Fig. 4 is a section on the line y y, showing the safety-chain hanger in section. Fig. 5 is a modification of the brake-beam and strut. Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of. thebrake head and shoe for use with said brake-beam. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the modified brakehead and shoe on the line ze, Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a view of the beam constructed of two lengths of pipe screwed into the strut instead of a continuous pipe-beam, asin Figs. 1 and 5.

Like figures refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My present invention relates to the construction of brake-beams for railway-cars, and has for its object to secure lightness and strength of beam, together with safety against accident incident to any breaking away or detaching of the beam from its supports.

Heretofore in the construction of brakebeams for railway-cars, where lightness as well as strength was desired, metal has been substituted for wood and the beam trussed; but in every instance, so far as I am aware, the beam itself (or the rod) has been solid. So long as the structure remains intact such construction will serve the purpose; but should the beam break loose andfall upon the track, as frequently occurs, there is great danger of a solid beam of any material, and more espeeially a solid metal beam, derailing the car. To avoid such danger, I employ a beam capable of being crushed or sheared by the flange of the wheel, and prefer a hollow metallic brakebeam as the embodiment of tlie lirst feature of my invention.

There are other minor features of myinvention which relate to the preferred construction of brake-heads, strut for brake-lever, safetychain hangers, caps for connecting the trussrodV with the hollow beam, Sto., all of which will hereinafter more fully-appear.

I will nowproceed to describe myinveution more specifically, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, -1 indicates the brakebeam, which occupies the position of the tierod, and which is to be a hollow metal beam, preferably a tube or pipe of the requisite length and of such size as will bear the strain required for braking purposes. If used without being trussed, it will necessarily be larger than if trussed. I prefer to truss it as follows: When a pipe as small as two (2) inches or'less diameter will be found to answer the purposes, and in case the beam is trussed, it may, it' desired, be composedY of two halflengths (--f-) screwed into the strut 2, as shown in Fig. 8. 'Ihe hollow beam l may be trussed by means of the strut 2 and truss-rod 3. I prefer to form the strut 2 of wroughtiron bar, or other suitable bar, having one end bent into a circle, as at 4, andprovided with bolt-holes, to form a clamp for securing the strut 2 to the hollow beam 1, its. body twi'sting to accommodate the position of the brakelever 6, its opposite end folded to form a fork or bracket, as at 5, with holes for the fulcrumbolt of the brake-lever 6, and its extremity provided with an eye, as at 7, for the passage of the truss-rod 3. If, however, no truss-rods are used with the hollow beam, as in Fig. 5, the strut may be bent to form a keeper or box for the brake-lever, as shown in said figure.

The truss or tension vrod 3 passes through the eye 7 ofthe strut, and extends from end to end of the beam 1, piercing the extremities thereof, and projecting through caps 8, which may have recesses or nut-seats 9 for the nuts on the ends of the truss-rod 3.

6 indicates the brake-lever, pivoted 011 the strut 2, as before` specified.

10 indicates one of the hangers for thc safetychain ll. These hangers are preferably of strap form, provided with an eye, 12, for the fiO ICO

safety-chain 11, bent to forni a loop, 13, to inclose the hollow brake-beam 1, provided with bolt and bolt-holes 14., whereby the hangers may be caused to clamp the brake tightly, and tapped, as at 15, for the reception of the guardinger 1G.

17 indicates the brake-head, which may be of malleable or malleableized metal formed with a clamp, 1S, (consisting of lugs 19 and bolt 20, or their equivalents) whereby it may be Secured to the hollow beam 1, and an eye, 2l, for thc brake-hanger 22.

It will be noticed that the strut 2, the safetychain hangers 10, and the brake-head 17 are each provided with a clamp for securing them to the brake-beam, which construction is adopted because thereby a iirm and extended connection between the parts is obtained without weakening the hollow beam, as would be donc by the forms of fastening commonly adopted.

The face of the brake-head1?, for the reception of slice 28, may be otv` any suitable construction, according to the character ofthe shoe it is designed for. For instance, it may have the dovetailcd groove 24. if a shoe having a corresponding lug is used, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5; or, it' an adjustable or rocking shoe is preferred, it may have the construction shown iu Figs. (i and 7-that is to say, a socket or knuckle, 25, with projecting lug 26 for the reception ot' pintle (or cylindrical lug 27 on the back of shoe 23, and the split pin or Cotter 28, which passes through lugs 26 and contines the pintle 2T within the knuckle 25. IIhis latter lorm of brake-head, with its provision for a rocking or pivotcd shoe, is especially adapted to compensate for any possible rotation of the tubular brakebcain when used without the truss-rod.

rlhis brake-beam will be applied to railway cars, locomotives, and like structures where brake-beams are commonly employed, in the usual manner, and will operate in the wellknown way.

Among the advantages incident to the hollow brake-beam embodying my invention, as hercinbetore set forth, are increased lightness and strength over the ordinary trussed brakebcam, and non-liability to derail the carin case the beam should fall ou the track, as frequently happens.

I am aware that a trussed brake L beam has heretofore been devised wherein the brake-heads or shoe-holders were connected by metal tie-rods occupying the position of the brakebcam, and tubular truss braces were employed therewith to prevent the inward lateral movement of the brake-heads or shoeholders and sustain the strain in opposition to the tie-rods, and do not herein claim such a structure, as the unity and efficiency ofthe beam as a whole is destroyed by any derangeinent of either the tie-rods or the braces, whereas, in my devices, the brake-heads are carried by the tubular beam (or tubular tie) and the truss-rods are simply auxiliary to the beam, whereby the brake-beam is as littleliable to disruption as the common solid wood' 2. rIlle combination, in a brakcbeain, of a hollow' beam, a strut, end plugs or caps, 8, and a truss-rod, 3, which extends through the caps 8 and is provided with nuts, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

3. The combination, with a trussed hollow brakebeam, of a strut having a fork adapted to receive the brake-lever,and a clamp end for grasping the brake-beam, substantially as and tor the purposes specified.

4. The combination, with the hollow brakebeam, ot' a clamp-hanger having an eye for the safety-chain and tapped for the reception ot' the guard-finger, substantially as and for the purposes specitied.

5. The combination, with the hollow brakebeam, of a brake-head having a clamp for grasping the beam, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

G. The combination, with the hollow brakebeam, of a brake-head having a clamp for se curing it to the brakebeam, and a pivotcd or rocking brake-shoe, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of October, 1886.

IHILLIP HIEN.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL D. KING, J. D. Timmie IOO 

